Backroad Odyssey : Travel, Van Life & Lost Locations
Traveling America's backroads, road trip experts - Noah and Noodles - explore fascinating locations overlooked while traveling.
Living out of a van, they unravel the - often shocking - story behind each neglected story or location.
If you love travel, exploration and unique locations - join us on the road!
Episodes
67 episodes
Van Life Diaries - Blue Ridge Mountains: Beyond the Haze
Today Noodles and I camp in the Haze of the Blue Ridge Mountains to answer the following questions:What are the blue ridge mountains? Why are they worth exploring? Why has this section of the country long been ste...
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Season 1
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Episode 66
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22:11
Hemingway's Key West - Behind the Persona
Why should we care about Ernest Hemingway's time in Key West? What did this great American novelist REALLY do and accomplish during his brief residency on the island from 1931 to 1939? My dog and I spend a week on the is...
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Season 1
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Episode 65
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29:28
Van Life Diaries - The Lost Coast: California's Last Wilderness
A singular stretch of untamed wilderness lines Calirfonia's Northern Coast. A landscape so rugged and dramatic that the state's infamous 'route one' avoids it's sheer cliffs and crashing waves.My dog Noodles and I spend three...
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Season 1
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Episode 64
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17:50
Secrets of Plymouth Rock - The Real Story
What’s the real story and legacy of Plymouth Rock? Did the so-called “Pilgrims” REALLY step upon that particular rock that fateful Autumn of 1620? Why and how did Plymouth Rock become the defining “...
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Season 1
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Episode 63
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27:10
Van Life Diaries - Skunk Ape Headquarters
Who is The Skunk Ape?Noodles and I take the van to visit Skunk Ape Headquarters deep in the Florida Everglades in search of answers.We’ll also be answering listener question at the end, which include: What do you ...
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Season 1
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Episode 62
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17:47
The Enchanted Highway - One Man's Dream to Save His Town
The sparse fields of North Dakota hold a secret …Mysterious scrape metal statues populate the wind-swept landscape. The reason behind their labored construction and the harrowing story of the man who built them - that’s...
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Season 1
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Episode 62
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14:54
Van Life Diaries - Understanding Solar and Lunar Eclipses
How much do we REALLY know about eclipses?My answer one year ago would have been - not much.-To amend this, my dog and I witness a total solar eclipse and - nearly a year later - a lunar eclipse in Southern Florida.
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Season 1
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Episode 61
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33:52
The Crater of Diamonds - Arkansas' Volcanic Treasure Field
Crater of Diamonds State Park is the only place in the world where the public can search for natural diamonds at their volcanic source. The 37 acre eroded volcanic crater sees hopeful prospectors prying through loose soi...
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Season 1
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Episode 60
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25:12
Van Life Diaries - WW2 Finds American Shores
America sleeps far away from the impending conflicts of World War II.Despite this VAST distance, an anxiety lingers in the mind of American President - Franklin D. Roosevelt …My dog Noodles and I scale ...
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Season 1
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Episode 59
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35:48
America's Ghost Towns - Why Did They Leave?
Abandoned towns are scattered throughout the American Landscape.These remnants of bygone eras tempt us to speculate about the lives of those that left … Why did they leave? What makes the American West particularl...
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Season 1
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Episode 58
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20:53
Van Life Diaries - Into the Redwoods : Realm of Giants
The Redwoods are home to the world’s tallest trees.WHAT'S the secret to their staggering growth? Why is this unique ecosystem worth visiting? Noodles and I hike deep into the Old-Growth Redwoods of Northern California to find...
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Season 1
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Episode 57
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24:52
Wall Drug - The World's Weirdest Drug Store
What started as a modest drug store now welcomes millions of curious travelers … Welcome to Wall Drug!Home to a Robot T-rex, 6,000 cowboy boots, animatronic singers, a working chapel - and of course, their famous 5 cent coff...
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Season 1
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Episode 56
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17:12
Van Life Diaries - The Manatees of Southern Florida
Southern Florida is home to an aquatic gentle giant: THE MANATEE. But how much do we really know about this wondering benign behemoth? Noodles and I dive deep into the warm springs, rivers and tributaries of Florida to r...
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Season 1
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Episode 55
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23:27
Sun Records - The Birth of Rock and Roll
Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee claims to be the birthplace of Rock and Roll.But just what does it mean to be “The Birthplace of Rock and Roll”? Can we accept such a claim without first diving even deep into the mur...
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Season 1
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Episode 54
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34:48
Van Life Diaries - 4 Obscure National Park Cryptids
Today we explore just a SMALL sample of the various cryptids and oddities that are said to inhabit our nations most pristine landscapes.These aren't your average cryptids folks ... As always, we'll answer listener ques...
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Season 1
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Episode 53
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17:29
Ave Maria Grotto - A Monk Builds His City
A miniature city crafted from recycled materials lies in the Alabama woods.One solitary Bavarian Monk is behind its construction. Noodles and I join the thousands of visitors stopping to admire this humble monk’s startling cr...
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Season 1
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Episode 52
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20:52
Van Life Diaries - The Tree That Owns Itself
Can a tree own itself? In Georgia the answer is a resounding ... KINDOF! The curios story of one trees accepted autonomy is a tale worth telling - Noodles and I visit it's location in Athens, Georgia to investigate.&nb...
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Season 1
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Episode 51
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14:10
The Last Blockbuster - The Little Video Store That Could
One solitary Blockbuster Video location remains ... The story of this lonesome Blockbuster provides a lens into the larger rise and fall of an American icon.Noodles and I visit Bend, Oregon to unpack the truly fascinating s...
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Season 1
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Episode 50
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26:26
Van Life Diaries - 3 Real Life Locations from "The Office"
Scranton, Pennsylvania is inseperable from the hit-series “The Office.” Although, the show was primarily filmed in California, the series writers took inspiration from many real-life Electric City locations.Noodle...
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Season 1
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Episode 49
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11:58
The Black Angel - Iowa City's Cursed Oddity
Explore the darker side of Iowa City ... A somber statue - once a golden bronze - is now the subject of countless curses, hauntings and general misfortune. Few dare to meet it’s soot embalmed gaze; those that due invit...
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Season 1
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Episode 48
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17:02
The Real Salem - Road to the Trials (BONUS EPISODE)
The REAL story behind the infamous Salem Witch Trials might surprise you ... Noodles and I travel to the ruins where the first accusations of witchcraft were made in 1692.In this bonus compilation - we revisit dark secrets,...
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Season 1
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Episode 47
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31:06
Van Life Diaries - The Great Gathering of Vans (Descend 10)
Dive into the vibrant world of van life with us at the Descend Gathering in Oregon! Every year HUNDREDS of vans gather for live music, community and a general celebration of non-traditional living - Noodles and I are one of the van...
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Season 1
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Episode 46
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12:40
Mount Saint Helens - America's Deadliest Eruption
44 years after it's eruption, Noodles and I camp at the base of the - still active - Mount Saint Helens. We explore the tales of Harry Truman, the lodge owner who famously refused to leave despite the looming danger, and...
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Season 1
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Episode 45
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23:15
Van Life Diaries - 3 Essential Comedy Podcasts
We're about to make those long drives a laugh-filled adventure with our all time TOP COMEDY podcast picks. We do the work for you and unpack our recommendations WITH specific episodes to get you into each show. As always we’ll t...
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Season 1
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Episode 44
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10:09
Mysteries of the Utah Petroglyphs - Voices in Stone
Countless prehistoric images populate the landscapes of the American Southwest.Some are meticulously engraved into stone, others carefully painted upon cave walls ...The exact meaning behind many of these illustrations remain illu...
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Season 1
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Episode 43
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18:51
